Persona 4: Rondo of Dawn
by Kazumi1994
Summary: In the aftermath of a terrible tragedy, Sayuri Narukami wished to live a quiet life, carrying the memory of that fated battle for the sake of those who lost their lives. An unexpected reunion makes her return to a world she thought she left behind, and she slowly begins to unravel a long forgotten sorrow. A sorrow that will come to define her and the one she loves.
1. Prologue: Dreams of a Maiden

■ _**Prologue: Dreams of a Maiden**_

How would you react if you learned that someone could see and speak to ghosts?

It's a question I often think about, during silent afternoons where I have little to do. Every time I try to come up with an answer, I usually arrive at the same conclusion, however.

That if you come from the same world I do, then this isn't something to be surprised about. There are others who walk a similar path as I—a 'Path of Heresy'. If I ask someone from that world this question, I'll probably get a response like 'I would ask them how they do it.'

If you _don't_ come from that world... well, that's a different story entirely.

If you're someone who is 'normal', then the reaction I would get will vary greatly, depending on the kind of person they are. Some might find it cool, some might find it weird, or perhaps even terrifying. Some might even call that person a 'witch' or 'wizard'. And when it comes to me, they wouldn't exactly be too far off the mark.

I've had to live with this, keeping it a secret ever since I was a child. The fact that I can see the spirits of the dead. They usually congregate around shrines and other places with a high spiritual resonance, but sometimes I would see one or two in places I wouldn't expect.

A train station is one of those unexpected places. The stations practically empty, apart from myself and a few others. And as it so happens, I'm the only one who'll be boarding the train that will arrive shortly. Not many people needed to head out to a small town in the countryside, it seems.

In this practically empty space, seeing someone who is a ghost would be easier than finding a sword in a museum. Especially if you're sensitive to them like I am.

...There's little point in calling out to her. She can't hear me. Even though she's standing there, she isn't 'conscious'. Rather, she's a spirit who has fallen into a rather vicious cycle.

She will repeat the last moments of her life over, and over, and over again.

I've seen something like this before. Only it was a student who committed suicide by jumping off the roof of the school building. Only those who hold strong regrets find themselves in a situation like this.

There's nothing I can do to help her... The only thing I can do is watch.

The ghost staggers over to the edge, pass the yellow safety line that people need to stay behind. There, she waits, a look of despair on her face. The face of one who has lost all hope.

She had decided that day to take her own life, for whatever reason. I imagine the scene of the moment in question to be far different from now. Or perhaps it was similar. Or maybe she was all alone when it happened. I don't know and it's likely I'll never learn the truth.

The trains coming in, and rather quickly, too. The woman waits patiently for it to arrive. And as the train pulls into the station, she lets herself fall. The train hits the girl at a speed that would most definitely kill someone had they been flesh and blood, rather than spiritual essence.

The ghost may have vanished, but don't be mistaken. She isn't gone. She'll be back here this time tomorrow, returning to this exact moment and repeat the process all over again.

Dragging my suitcase behind me, I board the train by myself. I can't help but let out a sigh. I know that, someday, the woman will break free of all of this. It'll be a long, painful process, however.

"I pray that you reach the heavens peacefully..." I say silently. This prayer is all the comfort I can offer her. Maybe, one day, I'll meet her at a shrine. Perhaps then I'll be able to ask her what exactly was the cause of her dilemma.

The train doors close silently and the rumble of movement that tickles my behind for a second tells me that I'm on my way.

...I feel so tired. I've already been on two different trains to get to this point. It's crazy to think that I started this journey late last night, and it's only now around 11 AM... It would be okay if I get some sleep, right? I mean, it's not like there's anything to stop me.

I won't arrive at Inaba for a couple of hours, anyway. A nap wouldn't be the worst idea in the world.

Yeah... just for a little while...

※※※※※

"A... Ah..."

The soft light from outside rouses me from slumber. My eyes flicker open and I find myself staring up at the ceiling.

Where... am I, exactly?

I'm lying in a futon, that's immediately clear. The temptation to just lie there for a while hits me, and I do consider it for a moment. Even though it _is_ warm, I need to see what's going on. So, I sit up and take a look around.

A small room. Warm, no modern conveniences in the slightest. Only a small clothes drawer and a window that lets me view the outside.

"...Oh, it's this place again."

I eventually recognise this place. Yes, it is indeed that place. A place that only exists within my dreams. I usually end up here whenever I have a dream. Not always, but it's a common enough occurence that I'm able to recognise it.

A shrine that's cloaked in eternal daylight. Healthy plants, green grass. A large tree overlooks a pond of clean, crystal-clear water. And hanging over it all is the sun, a treasured companion, beating down on this place of refuge with nary a cloud in sight.

I suppose you can call this place my 'sanctuary'. A place where I can go to recover my thoughts in peace. Of course, since this is a dream world, it can only exist within the dream. Once I wake up, it'll disappear until I return.

Throwing the covers of the futon off of me, I stand up and walk to the door with a sense of familiarity. The straw door slides open with ease and the corridors, though somewhat twisty, might as well have been straight lines with the amount of times I have walked through them.

It doesn't take me long to reach the courtyard. On the front deck overlooking the garden, I sit on my knees and stare out at the beauty of this dream once more.

...It's so beautiful. I can't help but be at ease whenever I see this. Perhaps I feel this way because the only place that can offer any semblance of peace to me when I truly need it _is_ a shrine.

It's been that way ever since I was young. I would often rush from whatever home I was in to the nearest shrine in town. In fact, my plan for when I leave school is to become a shrine maiden myself.

A weird choice of profession for a modern girl, I know. But, contrary to looks, I'm actually a rather old-fashioned girl. Big on traditions and what not. I feel more comfortable in a kimono or yukata than a skirt, and you won't catch me dead without my charms. Though that's more for practical reasons than anything else.

I learned a great many things from the people who were in charge of taking care of those shrines. That shrines are places where the spirits of the dead come to find peace, and some say that the gods of this land ended up becoming trapped in these shrines long ago—though I'm not sure if that part is true.

It was while helping at these shrines that I first encountered them. One time, I met the ghost of a young girl who seemed content with her place, despite having died at such a young age. When I asked her why, she said this:

"_I left my dream with mama and papa. As long as they can do it, I'll be happy."_

Leaving your dream to those who still live... It's something that not many think they would have to do, and yet it always remains a possibility. Death delivers all to the same end, regardless of who you are.

A person I met sometime later said something else that left a profound effect on me. She said:

"_I don't know when I'll die. All I know is that what I did came at the cost of the years I could have had. That's why I'm travelling. I'm making the most of my precious time here on this world."_

I'll remember these two encounters for the rest of my life. It's what drives me to chase what I want to do, regardless of whether it's the 'correct' choice or not. While it's not something most would consciously choose as their path, it's the path that _I_ have chosen, knowing that life is too short to be concerned with what society expects from you.

It's been such a long time since I've seen her... I wonder where she is now? Is she okay? She said she was 'travelling', but she never did tell me what she meant by that, nor what she wanted to accomplish... Well, wherever she was, I hope she's safe.

Breathe in... and out... Let all thoughts fade away. The sound of the early morning wind and the happy dance of the fishes in the pond fills the air. Indeed, this is a quiet place. Nothing I know of can disturb the stillness that permeates the entire shrine.

Rogue thoughts invade my mind. If the serene peace I felt before was a calm river stream, then this invading force was like a rushing current. What felt like my entire body stiffens, tightens up, as I recall events from that fated year.

"_Yuuki! Stop! That weapon⸻"  
"I'll use whatever strength I have to. That is my way⸻"  
"Even if it's pointless, I still have to⸻"  
"Maybe I was wrong about you. You're just⸻"  
"I must bear witness to this fight. For their sake⸻"  
"So it's true. I really am you⸻"  
"What's going on? Why are you here?!"_

"Enough" I scream, my pained voice echoes as my eyes snap open. It was too much. I couldn't take that bombardment. So many memories fill my head at once, it shatters the peace I felt from before.

"...Huh?"

What's all this? Where did the shrine go? Instead of the shrine I have come to know, I'm now in a completely different place. A temple of sorts, it seems, with a long blue carpet stretching into the darkness in front of me. I look over my shoulder curiously. Nothing but darkness behind me as well.

The corridor is rather thin. Strong brick walls on both sides of me, with candle fixtures attached at set intervals. Standing up, I notice that there's a faint light off in the distance. The distant gentle warmth of flame.

The tips of the candlesticks flare up one by one, starting from the furthest until it reaches the candlestick closest to where I stand. It does provide enough light for me to see properly. It's a straight corridor with no deviation from what I can see... So, the question remains.

"I'm meant to just walk down this corridor?"

Seems like a silly question. Of course, the answer is going to be a resounding 'yes.' With very little do, and very little choice. I begin to walk slowly down the corridor, making sure to never step off the carpet.

A few minutes pass. Turns out it's a lot shorter than I thought. As I come to the end of the corridor, I find myself standing in front of a sliding door with a painting of a sakura tree on it.

...What exactly will I find on the other side of this door?

There's definitely light coming from inside the room. A warm blue light... Well, I won't know for sure until I see it for myself. I steel my determination and reach out, sliding the door open carefully.

The blue light spills out from inside, making me raise my arm to shield my eyes. The light soon dims to a more reasonable level and I'm able to lower my arm to see what is there.

I see... something that's hard to describe properly. I can certainly try, though.

A semi-large room, lit up by blue flames from the candlesticks attached to the walls. At the end of the room, there's a small square table with a white cloth draped over it. I look off to the side and see a forge, the flames inside burning brightly. It would certainly explain why the room is so warm.

It's almost like a strange, otherworldly living room... No, it's far too neutral for that. A living room is supposed to feel homely. A place where you can feel safe. This room has none of the qualities that I associate with a place like that. Instead, all I feel is an unnatural aura.

I step forward cautiously. In this room, two people, an old man and a woman, sit near the table—the man directly behind it, the woman beside him.

The old man's wearing a black suit, with white gloves and a handkerchief in the front pocket of the suit. White hair on the back of his bald head and bulging bloodshot eyes, and that's on top of the... very, very long nose, and wide toothy grin. He looks so... out of place, in this traditional Japanese style room.

The woman sitting on her knees beside him looks far more natural, though her appearance can be considered just as strange. Platinum blonde hair, pale skin. She has her eyes closed, so no seeing what colour her eyes are at the moment.

Her head is lowered slightly, looking down towards the floor, giving the impression that she's meditating. Her clothing is far more in tune with the style of this room, being a dark blue kimono with a golden obi.

To put it bluntly, she looks absolutely stunning... Yet, it feels like I've seen her before. She reminds me of someone... No, it can't be. It's just a coincidence. It has to be.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room," the man addresses me with a raspy voice as I approach. Once I reach the table, I sit on my knees directly opposite him. He looks me over with a cursory glance. "It seems that we have a guest with an intriguing destiny. My name is Igor. I am honoured to make your acquaintance."

Igor bows his head slightly, as if in a show of respect, before he raises it back up.

"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those who are bound by a 'contract' may enter. However... you seem to be destined to walk a different path than those who've come before."

He clasps his hands under his nose and rests his elbows on the table, hiding his smile.

...I don't understand a word he just said. A room that exists between dream and reality. So this is just a part of my dream? ...Trying to make sense of this is a futile effort. Might as well just go along with it for now. Perhaps it'll make more sense later.

"...My name's Sayuri⸻"

"There's no need to tell us who you are, Sayuri Narukami."

Oh? He knows who I am? Even before I introduced myself? Interesting. I sit patiently, waiting for him to continue.

"A previous guest spoke of you. You know him rather well. He was once an ally to you back during the events from two years ago."

Ah... so it was _him_. That boy.

I look down at the ground to avoid Igor's gaze. Though I'm not entirely sure what I'm trying to hide. It's clear that he knows more than he's letting on.

"This is Margaret. She's a resident here, like myself."

Raising my head, I see that Igor's pointing out the woman beside him.

The woman named Margaret raises her head and opens her eyes. They're a striking golden colour, which only added to her beauty.

"My name is Margaret. I am here to accompany you on your journey," she says with a slightly deep voice that conveys a wisdom that can only be acquired through experience.

At the very least, they don't seem to want to pick a fight. That's good, that's very good. I can relax a little and focus on asking the questions I need to ask. Starting with⸻

"What am I doing here?"

"The nature of this room shall be revealed to you in due time."

Oh, going the cryptic route, are you? I really don't like that.

"Now then, why don't we take a look at your future?"

With a snap of Igor's fingers, a deck of cards appear on the table. And with a wave of his hand, seven cards make their way out of the deck and arrange themselves in a two-three-two formation.

"Do you believe in fortune telling?" he asks.

"Not the kind you're about to perform," I respond immediately.

I don't need to think about it. I wasn't a believer in the Tarot to begin with, so finding out just how much sway it had on our world only served to make me more than cautious when dealing with it.

Igor chuckles. And just what is so funny about that?

"Each reading is done with the same cards, yet the result is always different. Life itself follows the same principles, doesn't it?"

...I'm not too sure about that. I'm certain that if we repeat this endless cycle called 'life' for long enough, something will repeat itself eventually.

Igor flips the card closest to me and to his right.

"Hmm... The Tower in the upright position represents the immediate future. It seems a terrible catastrophe is imminent... The card indicating the future beyond that is..."

He flips the card on the opposite side.

"The Moon, in the upright position. This card represents... hesitation, and mystery. Very interesting indeed."

He looks up from the table and directly at me.

"It seems you will encounter a misfortune at your destination. And a great mystery will be imposed upon you. The coming year will be a turning point in your destiny. If the mystery goes unsolved, the present you may be forever lost. My duty is to provide assistance to our guests to ensure that does not happen... Hehe, this shall be an interesting journey for us all. We shall attend to the details another time. Until then... farewell."

The candles flicker out one by one, until the room is completely shrouded in darkness... Eh...? I feel... sleepy...

※※※※※

...I am not pleased in the slightest about that intrusion. How did they even do that, anyway?

My guard was down thanks to that little trip down memory lane, and they were able to sneak in that way. That must be it. I have to be more careful when I go to sleep later.

As much as I want to get a little more sleep, I know I won't be able to. I shake my head to wake up fully and stand up. Reaching up to the railing above me, I pull down my bag and open it up.

There were only a few things in there, stuff I couldn't fit in with the rest of my luggage. There are a couple of things I wanted to make sure doesn't get lost. Besides the limited number of books I brought with me, there's also a light brown wooden box and a necklace. A necklace with a steel chain, and on the end of that chain is a small mirror with an elaborate frame.

I can't remember when my mother gave me this... Years ago, I think. I see my reflection in it and I can't help but stare for a while. It's always like I was seeing myself for the first time. I know it sounds ridiculous but this mirror does hold a lot of significance for me. So it's something I want to keep close at all times.

"...What a strange place," I murmur as I put the necklace on.

The 'Velvet Room', huh? I wonder what it's purpose is? And why they contacted _me_? If they worked with that boy, then surely they must know what I'm like. I'm hardly the most appropriate 'guest' they could have found, so why...?

...Questions I can ask them later. Because I know I'll end up back there at some point. Although, if I'm going to speak with them again, I'm going to do it on _my_ terms, not theirs. I am _not_ going to walk down that corridor every single time.

Oh, I just remembered. I start digging through my pockets. Where is it, where is it...? Ah, there we go. I pull out my mobile phone and check the last text message I received.

「Meet us outside Yasoinaba Station at 4 PM」

This device is one of the few modern liberties I allow myself, despite my preferring the old way of doing things. In fact, calling it a 'liberty' might not even be accurate in the slightest. It's tough getting by in the modern era without something like this.

In any case, there's still some time before the deadline. I should make it with plenty of time to spare.

"Our next stop is Yasoinaba Station. Be sure to take any luggage before departing," the pre-recorded announcement blares throughout the compartment. Seems like we're getting close to the station. I gather my luggage and make my way to the door.

There, I wait, watching the green fields and clear sky pass me by until the train slowly comes to a stop.

As I step off, I see that, compared to Iwatodai, there's a lot less noise. The station's practically empty, just like the one I was at a few hours ago. In a large city, the only time that's likely to happen is in the dead of night. I don't mind this, however. For one, I can actually hear the birds chirping.

...It's so quiet. I can't help but smile as I take my first proper step into Inaba. Maybe it's because I prefer the countryside over any city, but I'm just really glad I'm here.

Now, where is my uncle? He should be somewhere around here, but I can't seem to find him.

"Hey! Over here!"

I turn my head in the direction of the voice. A middle-aged man stands near a car; short, greyish black hair, grey eyes and sporting a stubble. I'm guessing he's wearing his work clothes—a dark grey shirt with rolled up sleeves, a red tie, and black dress trousers. Mother did say he works with the police, though I can't recall what division or rank.

I walk over to him.

"Well, you certainly look different from your photo," he says with a disarming smile and friendly tone. "Welcome to Inaba. I'm Ryotaro Dojima. I'll be looking after you. Let's see, I'm your mother's younger brother and that about sums it up."

Now that we've gotten formalities out of the way, I smile at my uncle. I don't have many memories of Uncle Dojima, but what I did remember I remembered fondly.

"It's been a long time, uncle."

"Yeah, it has. Haven't seen you since that business in Iwatodai. How long has it been now? Three years?"

"Not quite, but almost."

A messy affair, that was. I haven't set foot in that city since 2009, after that horrific incident. The consequences of that event is something that I'm still dealing with, especially the last battle I witnessed.

Huh... who's that? There's someone hiding behind Uncle Dojima.

He must have seen where I'm looking because he brought them out of hiding. A young girl, probably not any older than six. Brown hair, short pigtails, brown eyes, and wearing a white turtleneck shirt under a sleeveless pink dress with two shades of red, white socks and pink shoes. She looks around before her sight settes on me.

"This here's my daughter. C'mon, Nanako, say hello to your cousin," Dojima tries to encourage her, but Nanako barely makes eye contact with me before turning away.

"...'lo," she murmurs with a quiet voice as she runs back behind Uncle Dojima, making him laugh a little.

"Haha, what are you so shy for?"

I don't think she appreciates the teasing, Uncle. As soon as those words leave his mouth, Nanako smacks the back of his leg.

"Ow!"

Despite that, he continues to laugh at Nanako's shyness. He stops a second later and turns to look back at me.

"Let's get going. My car's over there."

"Right."

Letting Nanako lead the way, the two of them help me pack my things in the trunk. Soon enough, we're off for the Dojima household.

※※※※※

The ride so far has been just as quiet as Inaba itself. I had settled for watching the buildings pass us by out the window as the car makes its way along. I'm the only one sitting in the back, Nanako electing to sit up front with her father.

The only sound that reaches my ears is the sound of the car's engine, and the slight bumps on the road as we drive over them.

"...I heard about what happened in Nara," Dojima says out of the blue, saying words that grab my attention immediately. "I... I know it must be difficult for you right now. I just want you to know that if you need time⸻"

"I'll be fine. It's not the first time... I'll be okay," I cut off his sentence, bringing a swift end to the conversation.

I'm not sure if he actually believes that, but it seems he's willing to avoid that topic for the time being... Hmm? Did Nanako just look at me? I'm not sure.

The car falls silent once more. Soon enough, we stop at a petrol station in what seems to be the shopping district. All of us get out of the car as the attendant rushes over.

"Hi! Welcome to Moel!"

I imagine it to be a boring job but he seems to enjoy it well enough. Well, you know what they say; if you enjoy your work, you never have to work a day in your life. The same will most definitely apply to me in the future.

Dojima turns to Nanako.

"Can you go to the bathroom by yourself?"

"Uh-huh."

With a short nod, Nanako walks in the direction of where I assume to be the bathroom before the attendant calls out to her, stopping her in her tracks.

"It's in the back, to the left. You know which way is left?" The side you don't hold your chopsticks."

It _is_ rather unsightly to use chopsticks with your left hand. I'm the one who usually reminds my left-handed friends not to do that, and they would usually call me 'Grandma' in response. It's so rude. I'm not the only one who thinks that way, right?

Nanako looks a little annoyed at this.

"I know... Geez..."

She leaves for the bathroom quickly. Might have been holding it in for a while. The attendant looks to Uncle Dojima.

"Are you taking a trip?"

"No, we were just picking her up. She just moved here from the big city."

"The big city, huh?"

"Fill up my car while you're at it. Regular's fine."

"Right away, sir!"

Dojima looks towards the road.

"Good a time as any for a smoke..."

He walks off to do just that, leaving me to watch as the attendant fills the car up with petrol. I take the time to look around. The shopping district seems rather small, covering from this end of the street to the other. It's difficult to see what kind of stores are here from where I'm standing.

It's something I'll have to come back to when I get the chance.

"Are you in high school?" the attendant suddenly asks, catching me off-guard. I scramble to respond to him.

"Y-Yeah. Second year."

"Does it surprise you to see how little there is out here? There's not much to do, so you'll probably get bored pretty quickly. You'll either be hanging out with friends or doing part-time jobs."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," I say with a small smile. "It doesn't take much to please me."

It's very true. I'm not that difficult to please. Just lead me to the nearest shrine or place a bowl of ramen down in front of me and I'll be happy for a while.

"Oh? ...You do seem the old-fashioned type. In that case, you'll fit right in. Speaking of part-time work, we're actually looking for some part-time help right now."

...I see where he's going with this. Sorry to say, but I'm not really interested.

"I'll pass. I already have something in mind."

"Give it some thought, why don't you? We don't mind if you're a student."

He stretches his hand out towards me... Well, it'd be rude not to shake at least.

"...Alright. I'll keep it in mind. No promises, though."

I take a grip of his hand and shake it. Suddenly, he pulls me closer and leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"You can't save her."

What... what is he talking about? I can't even think of a response to his tone, malicious like a demon speaking down to something they consider beneath them. He backs off just as quickly as he moved in when Nanako suddenly makes her reappearance. His demeanour returns to what it was before, but like hell I was going to trust it now that I know it's just an act.

"Oh, I should get back to work!"

He runs off, and I keep an eye on him until he enters the building, to make sure he doesn't try anything clever. I walk towards Nanako, but as I step past the tire, I can't help but look towards the building.

"Are you alright? You don't look so good," Nanako asks this with a worried look. I don't know what kind of face I'm putting on right now, but I don't want to worry my cousin.

"...I'm okay."

Even though I say this, I know I won't be able to relax until we get out of here. Which I hope will be soon. Dojima walks back from his smoke and is able to tell immediately that something's up.

"What's wrong? You okay?" he asks.

Fight the urge to look, Sayuri. Don't think about what you just heard.

"I just feel a little tired, that's all."

"That's understandable. You must be exhausted from the trip. I think he's done now. We should get going."

"...Yeah."

I get back in the car with Uncle Dojima and Nanako... A horrible feeling pools in the pit of my stomach. A feeling that what I so desperately wished for—to live out the year in this countryside town in peace—will not be granted.

A premonition lingers in the back of my mind. That what I find here won't be peace, but chaos.

* * *

◆ _Next Time - Chapter 1: Settling In_ ◆


	2. Settling In

■ _**Chapter 1: Settling In**_

The car slowly comes to a stop. I guess we've finally arrived at Uncle's home. I waste no time and get out of the car, moving all of my luggage into the room I'll be staying in with the help of Uncle Dojima and Nanako.

First thing I notice? The room is rather small. Quite a bit smaller than the room I was staying in previously. There's still plenty of room, however. More than enough for a couch, a small tabletop in front of it, a work table in the far left corner, a futon tucked away in the opposite corner, and a small TV that's sitting on top of a tall clothes drawer that sits opposite the couch.

As I note every object in the room and its position, I come to a conclusion I knew I would, even before I stepped onto the first train.

"Looks like I made the right call leaving my workshop behind," I murmur as I organise my belongings. "No way I would have been able to fit all of it here."

Well, it's not like I'm totally cut off from that world. I have my charms to defend myself with, and, in a pinch, I could turn this place into a temporary workshop... It's not ideal, but it's something I should keep in mind, just in case.

My clothes, books, CD's. Everything is now where it should be. The only things that are still to be sorted are what's in my backpack. I place the wooden box on the tabletop and put the books on the work table.

Right! That's taken care of. What time is it anyway? ...Geez, six o'clock already? Guess I must have lost track of time. I should head down and see about dinner.

Thankfully, the Dojima's have already prepared something for my arrival. To celebrate, they say. It takes a while to cook, so I sit down at the table near the TV. Well, I say 'cook', but it's really just shoving it in an oven, turning it around half-way, and leaving it there until it's ready.

It's more comparable to take-out food than an actual home cooked meal. It's something I don't really mind, though. When you've worked at a fast-food place for a while, one starts to become indifferent to the kind of food they usually provide.

Luckily, we have some refreshments to wash it down. Dojima has a can of beer in his hand, Nanako's juice carton sits next to her plate, while my can of soda has just been opened.

"Let's have a toast," Dojima says as he raises his can to the air. Nanako and I follow suit, and take a drink before setting them down on the table.

"So... your mom is busy with something important, right?" he asks. "I know it's only for a year, but getting stuck in a place like this because of that... It's rough being a kid. Well, it's just me and Nanako here, so it'll be nice to have someone else around. So long as you're here, you're part of the family. So make yourself at home."

...Does Dojima know exactly what my mother is doing right now? The reason why she's made her way to the Greek isles? If he does know, he's probably not going to speak of it in front of Nanako. Might be best to keep quiet about that particular subject.

"I thank you for your hospitality," I say politely, bowing my head in a show of gratitude. Dojima chuckles dryly at my formal tone and demeanour.

"Oh, come on, there's no need to act so formal. Look, you're making Nanako all tense!"

My formal nature isn't something that's likely to chance. But if it gets Nanako to relax, I can afford to ease up a little. Though I don't think pointing it out is going to help in that regard, Uncle. In fact, I'm pretty sure she's more tense now than before.

"Anyway, let's eat."

Yes, Uncle, let's. Trying to hide how hungry I am is starting to become exhausting.

Picking up my chopsticks, I begin to⸻

Eh? What's that ringing sound?

"Ugh... Who's calling at this hour?"

Dojima rifles through his pockets until he finds his mobile phone, which he holds to his ear.

"Dojima speaking," he says as he stands up and walks to the kitchen table. "Yeah? I see... So where is it?"

Oh, he doesn't look happy. The response he got must have been bad.

"Alright, I'm on my way." He hangs up and looks down at the device in his hand before he pockets it. "Looks like I made the right choice to skip the booze." He turns to look at me and Nanako. "Sorry, but I gotta take care of some business. Go ahead and eat without me. I don't know how late I'll be. Nanako, you help her out, okay?"

"...Okay," Nanako responds sadly. This must have been a common occurrence, going by her tone and the way she looks—her sight cast down at the table and unwilling to look any of us in the eye.

The front door opens, and immediately the sound of pouring rain reaches my ears.

"Nanako, it's raining out! What did you do to the laundry?!"

"I already brought it in!"

"...Alright. Well, I'm off."

The door closes, leaving me alone with my cousin. As soon as the noise of the door closing fades, Nanako grabs the TV remote and turns the television on. The weather channel's the first thing to appear on the screen.

"⸻for this week. Next, let's take a look at the hourly breakdown of tomorrow's weather. With storm clouds moving from the west, expect rain throughout the day tomorrow in most areas."

The rain continues to batter against the glass door near me, not helping the irritation I feel when I hear that this was going to continue into the next day. I cannot stand rainy days. I especially cannot stand them if I have to go out and walk through it. Happens far too often for my liking.

"Let's eat," the emotionless voice of Nanako says, bringing my focus back to her. Okay, that's rather unsettling, not going to lie. While Nanako manages to eat most of her food, I do not.

The silence drags on... If I don't want this to continue for the rest of the night, I might want to speak up.

"So, what does your dad do? Sounds like it's important, going by how quickly he bolted after that call," I say with a glance towards the door.

Nanako looks unsure as to how to answer that question. She stares down at the table in thought before raising her head back up.

"He... investigates stuff? Like crime scenes."

"Mother did mention he works for the police. Is he a part of the regular force?"

Nanako shakes her head.

"No. He's a detective."

"Rather high profile, indeed..."

I refrain from saying that it must have kept him out of the house often. Something tells me that's a topic I don't want to touch right now. Not when we barely know each other.

The silence from before settles in again. Damn, and I was making progress, too... Well, at least I still have my food. Not going to waste it if I can help it. I grab my chopsticks and⸻

"And now for the local news."

That's two strikes, TV. First the weather report, and now this?

"A new victim in the recent string of murders has been discovered in the city limits. A 45-year-old male named Yagyu Toshino was found by his neighbour deceased in his bed. Initial investigations conducted by the Inaba Police Department have concluded the cause of death to be the same as past victims: poison entering a wound caused by a bladed instrument. The exact type of poison remains a mystery, though sources from inside the police have claimed that it appears to be a type of snake venom. We shall have more details by the hour⸻"

The channel changes before the newscaster finishes her report. My eyes dart over to look at Nanako, who's holding the remote in her hand. She seems as though she doesn't want to hear any more of that... Can't say I blame her. It _is_ rather morbid.

Still, it intrigues me somewhat. A killer who uses snake venom to conduct their murders? And why use a blade? Wouldn't it have been easier, not to mention more discreet, to poison the victim's food or drink? Or perhaps even inject it into their body?

Maybe there's some special circumstances involved with this particular case?

What's even more interesting is that the police can't identify the poison. If they found that the same poison was used for all the victims then why can't they figure out what it is?

...I shouldn't think about it too much. Getting myself worried over this will be bad for my health. Besides, there's more pressing concerns at hand.

"I'm sure your dad will be alright," I try to reassure Nanako with a soft tone. It's not hard to put together what has her concerned, given that her father most likely works at the Inaba Police Department, and might be involved in the investigation of this case.

The worried look vanishes, leaving only the blank look from before.

"...I know. It's his job, so this happens..." Her face lights up suddenly. "Oh, it's Junes."

Her change in demeanour leaves me feeling a slight tinge of emotional whiplash. It doesn't take me long to discover the reason for her sudden burst of joy.

"At Junes, everyday is Customer Appreciation Day. Come see for yourself, and get in touch with our products! _Every day's great at your Junes!~_"

Oh, no. That jingle. I have a bad feeling it'll get stuck in my head if I have to listen to it a few more times. It's one of _those_ jingles. Just like that Tanaka guy's TV shopping channel. It took me a while to get that damn tune out of my mind.

"Every day's great at your Junes!~" Nanako repeats, smiling and moving her arm back and forth in tune with the song. This is the first time I've actually seen her smile. It's quite jarring, since all I've seen from her up to this point is either a blank stare or worry. The same feeling of whiplash returns when the smile disappears and she turns to look at me with the same blank expression she had before the commercial played. "Aren't you going to eat?"

I quickly move back to my food. Needless to say, there's silence for the rest of the night.

※※※※※

By the time I make my way to my room, it's already quite late. Dojima didn't come back and Nanako told me to get some rest. Something which I'm finding rather difficult to do.

For some reason, I'm still awake... No, I know the reason why. I can't relax without knowing for sure. I get up and grab my phone from the table, checking the time with a worried look. Only a few seconds 'till midnight. Three, two, one...

...Nothing happens. No shift in the world, no immediate sense of dread. I look out the window and see that the night sky is still there. The same stars, the same darkness, the same world that I've come to know.

...Damn it all.

"It's been two years, Sayuri. It's not coming back."

Even with the quiet affirmation of that fact, I find myself checking again, just to make sure. I guess... some part of me is still stuck in that time, in that city, reliving those events that have long since past.

It's not someone one can forget easily. All the death, the destruction. But it's not that which keeps me awake at night. I've come to terms with it a long time ago. In a world that's cut-throat like ours, you won't last long if you aren't willing to accept the deaths of others.

No, it's the aftermath of the last battle that causes me so much worry. It's the implications of what I'd seen and heard. I'm not sure about this, but I think I was one of the few who truly saw that battle for what it was, and know just how difficult the path ahead is for the one who lost.

...I just don't understand her. Something so transient and cruel as humanity... it isn't worth defending. No, that's not fair. Rather, it's vile humans like that boy who aren't worth defending. And yet, she wants to save everyone she can, even the one who is at fault for the desolation that was caused.

Sometimes, I wonder. Just how things could have been different if some of those events never occurred. Shirakawa, Yakushima, the Hermit Arcana. Maybe that tragedy could have been averted had the events that placed us on that path...

"...What good will thinking about that do us now? It's been so long... I hope you're doing well, Senpai, wherever you are."

Knowing my luck, I'll run into her sooner or later... Still, I can't help but wonder⸻

"Right, going to sleep," I say, annoyed at myself for thinking too much about it. "I'm going to sleep, I'm going to sleep, I'm going to sleep."

Ordering myself to just lie down and go to sleep, I drop down onto the futon and force my eyes shut. Eventually, I'm able to fall into a very uneasy slumber...

...Living in this place for a whole year...

※※※※※

"Ah...!"

Wha... Where am I? My eyes didn't open naturally. It was like some outside force forced them open. I glance around, seeing that the dark room I was in a second ago has been replaced with a significantly larger one. Clean, sterile. The slightly uncomfortable bed that I'm lying on. The uniformity of the room that quite frankly makes me sick.

I recognise what it is quickly.

"A... hospital room...?"

There's no time to be confused. I need to see what's going on. The bed creaks as I stand up and take a closer look at my environment. The room is tinted a rather sickly green colour, courtesy of the light pouring in from the window.

A familiar colouration that brings back memories of that time two years past. Walking up to the window, I see... nothing. Nothing but that sky, the moon, and the red sea below—its colours a mixture of green, yellow, and red. The moon's a sharp yellow, standing out amongst all that corruption.

Yet, like back then, I'm not fooled. I know that orb is just as poisoned, perhaps suffering even worse than the sky and the sea. I turn away and make my way to the door. If I'm correct about what lies beyond it, then the sight won't surprise me in the slightest.

I pull the door. Eh? It's locked? ...No, it's just jammed. Something on the other side is causing it to get stuck. I pull again.

"Ah..."

This door is showing quite a bit of resilience. One more strong pull should be enough, though.

"Three... two... one!"

Putting more strength into this pull, the door slides open, nearly making me fall over. I regain my balance quickly and stand back up straight, only to find that the hospital room has vanished completely. Replaced by a sight that I stare blankly at.

"...I see. So I'm back here."

A city in ruins, a city that I recognise. Off in the distance, I can see a raging fire that has consumed a vast majority of the buildings. And to my right, I can see a part of the island slowly being submerged into the sea of blood. Collapsed buildings, abandoned streets, the light of life fading completely and swallowed by the encroaching chaos.

It's a sight that lingers in my memory, and the memories of those who still live to remember it. The image is vivid enough that it even lingers in the minds of those who have only heard about it second-hand.

This sight that is the consequence of one boy's failure.

My hands tighten into fists as I grit my teeth in vexation. I don't even realise I'm doing this until I notice just how angry I'm beginning to feel. This isn't something I can change or just ignore. This is something that has fundamentally changed the lives of so many, including my own. I take a breath to calm myself, letting my hands relax and fall back to my side.

"...Just how long will this haunt me?" I ask with silent resignation, expecting no answer to my question.

I won't, I _can't_, forget about this. Not when I made a promise to remember the outcome of the last battle I witnessed. It's so intrinsically linked to the trials we all went through, that to forget this sight would be to willingly go back on that.

Sayuri Narukami is many things, but she isn't one to break a promise.

Lifting my head to face this tragedy, I begin to walk forward. The empty streets, lit only by the poisoned sky, show no signs of life other than myself. Expected, really. This _is_ a dream, after all... Or perhaps 'nightmare' would be a more accurate descriptor.

I walk forward without a goal in mind... Actually, that's not completely true. I _am_ heading towards something in particular. The flames off in the distance.

Something about them is pulling me towards it. A feeling like if I can just get close enough, I might be able to find something. I don't really know what I expect to find, if anything. Only that uncertain feeling drives me forward.

I stop suddenly, turning to look behind me. The same sight as when I walked through it just a few moments ago. Rubble, abandoned cars, and the heat from the distant flames reaching over.

...It's hard to believe that it's been two years. With how these vivid images make it seem as though I'm recalling something that had happened only yesterday... It was hell.

That's the only word that can describe this sight. Hell. Back then, I had awoken to a hell of humanity's making. And once the chaos had passed, what was left was a place too steeped in sorrow and death for anyone to live in without the risk of losing themselves.

Last I heard, they call it the 'Lost City' now... If there was ever a more appropriate name for that place, I haven't heard it. And I doubt I will.

While these images are vivid, there's a distinct lack of sound beyond the sound of the flames. I am very much thankful for that. I don't think my sanity would have lasted for very long if I was able to recall some of the sounds I was privy to. Sounds which I refuse to describe.

I turn back around to continue my journey. Only... there's someone else here. Someone who stands out because of the hellish landscape behind them.

A young girl, wearing a pink floral kimono. Her black hair is long and reaches down to her back, and she stands in the middle of this hell like it doesn't concern her. She lifts her head to look at me, opening her closed eyes. Her eyes are a light shade of blue, but there's no life to them. She stares at me with a blank look, similar to Nanako's, and her mouth slightly open.

"...If you don't see the truth with your own eyes... you will both die. ⸻-sama," she says emotionlessly.

A loud burst of white noise blasts through my mind, my hand immediately goes to clutch my forehead as the pain shoots through my system.

What... was that?

It was like I was hearing something forbidden. Something that my mind refuses to comprehend and it took whatever measures it needed to prevent me from understanding.

I lift my head, opening my eyes, to address the girl, to ask her what exactly she meant by 'you will both die.' I find that she has completely disappeared. I look around in search of her, but she has vanished without a trace.

...That's the second time someone's intruded on my dreams. Only, it doesn't feel like a foreign element was invading like the two denizens of the Velvet Room were. This time, it feels as though the girl actually belongs here.

The sheer randomness of her appearance is what makes the whole thing strange, however.

"...I can forgive it happening once, but _twice_ in the same day?" I ask myself, feeling absolutely insulted. It's an attack on my pride as an Onmyōji. I resolve to prepare a spell after school that'll stop that from happening again. "Hmm?"

I find myself distracted by something off in the distance. Distant sounds of battle that sound as though they're coming from within the flames. I can't hear it very well from where I am... Have to get closer.

The moment I decide to do so and take a step forward, the world is engulfed in fire, and myself along with it.

* * *

◆ _Next Time - Chapter 2: The Midnight Channel_ ◆


	3. The Midnight Channel

■ _**Chapter 2: The Midnight Channel**_

I wake up that morning breaking into a cold sweat. I breathe in and out heavily to get my heartrate under control. I must have been wandering through that dreamscape longer than I realised. Being engulfed in those flames was enough to wake me up, it seems.

I check my phone for the time and see that I would have had to be waking up soon anyway.

"Half six... Might have time for a quick shower."

After searching for the bathroom for a minute, I hop in for a quick five minute shower before getting out. Drying my hair takes a while, but I still have plenty of time to spare. It feels weird having a school uniform on again. Barely any time had passed since the incident that occurred at Nara, so seeing myself in the mirror only served to dredge up those painful memories.

...Perhaps I should have taken Uncle up on that offer for some time off... Oh, well. No time for regrets now. I don't want to make a poor first impression so I should get some breakfast and try to make it there on time.

I walk down the stairs to see that Uncle wasn't there. Expected that, to be honest. I imagine he would be the first to get up. Of course, it was always possible that he simply never made it back home. Perhaps the case he's working on is a lot tougher than I thought?

Nanako is in the small kitchen to my left, placing two plates down on the table. It's then that I notice the smell, my senses bombarded with the smell of freshly cooked eggs, toast, and bacon. Drawn by the prospect of food, I walk over as Nanako sits herself down.

"Let's eat," she says.

The question of where the food came from hits me. Uncle certainly didn't cook it, obvious given that he's out, so that only leaves...

"Did you cook all of this?" I ask as I sit down. I cut a piece of bacon and put it in my mouth.

It's... delicious. I'm surprised, really.

"I can make toast... And cook sunny-side up eggs in the morning," she replies. "Dad can't cook, so I buy dinner."

So she has to take care of herself...?

"You're starting school today, right?"

I nod in response to her query.

"My school's on the way, so let's go together." She gives me a small smile. Despite that, I can tell she's somewhat restless.

We finish breakfast and head out. I'm glad that I remembered to bring my umbrella. It's really pouring down today... I can't say that rainy days are my favourite kind of day. I feel like a drenched kitty at times. Nanako and I walk together, not saying a word until we reach the riverbank. This town really is small. It doesn't take long to walk from one place to another.

I certainly don't mind that. The silence allows me to clear my mind, to think things through without many distractions. I certainly didn't have any peace of mind last night, so any opportunity I could take is appreciated.

While I'm certain I'll end up back at the ruined city again, that girl's presence confuses me... worries me as well. I can't help but think it to be a bad omen. What will I find among those flames should I have the chance to see beyond it?

The answer scares me, somewhat. Not enough to deter me from going through with it, but it scares me nonetheless. It might have been more worrisome if I _wasn't_ scared. It's only natural to feel fear when it comes to the unknown.

"You keep going straight from here."

Nanako's voice snaps me out of my thoughts. I look around and see that we had come upon an intersection. I look to Nanako and she points in the direction I need to go. She then points in the opposite direction.

"My school's this way. Bye!"

With a smile and a wave, she walks off, leaving me to my own devices. Knowing that I'll be late if I waste any more time, I walk in the direction Nanako told me to.

Walking with a steady pace, I feel as though I'll reach the school in a couple of minutes. I notice that some of the other students had brought umbrellas with them as well. Not something one would notice, but when getting acclimated with a new town, you tend to notice the little things more.

"Whooooa!"

Hmm? What was that?

Turning to look, a male student comes careening down the path, trying to balance an umbrella with one hand and keeping the bike he's riding on stable with the other. Key word being 'try'. I watch as he speeds past me and⸻

Crash! Clang! Crashes into a telephone post.

"Ngh... Urrrghhh..." he lets out pitfully. He must have hit his balls on the pole during the impact... There isn't a lot I can do for him, unfortunately. I should leave him be.

I walk past him and continue to make my way to the school.

※※※※※

My first impressions of Yasogami High School? I like it. Small, comfortable looking. Far less imposing than other schools. I don't think I could take being in a big school again. Not after Iwatodai or Tokyo... I can only hope that this year passes by without incident.

I hope, but given recent events, I expect the worst.

Following a hunched over male teacher, I make my way through the halls. Late thirties, if I had to guess. Black hair in a bob cut, hazel eyes, buck teeth. Rather odd looking, but who am I to judge? I'm not one to judge others based on first appearances... Most of the time.

I had to report to the teacher's lounge and get some boring paperwork out of the way before I could go to class. The teacher was rather curt during all of that, sending nary a kind word in my direction. Rather, it's like he was _trying_ to antagonise me.

Well, I won't let it get to me. If he's to be my teacher, then I'd simply bear it. I've certainly gone through worse than a rotten teacher.

We enter a classroom. He hadn't said a word our time walking through the halls, but he doesn't seem to like the fact that the students are chatting amongst themselves.

"Awright, shut your traps!" His nasally voice booms as he slams his papers on his desk. Oh, I can tell we're not going to get along. A teacher who doesn't command the respect of his students can't really be considered a good teacher, even if your actual teaching ability is sound.

"I'm Kinshiro Morooka, your homeroom teacher from today forward!" he continues. "First things first! Just 'cause it's spring doesn't mean you can swoon over each other like love-struck baboons. Long as I'm around, you students are going to be pure as the driven snow!"

...Everyone looks so awkward listening to this. Try standing up here with the guy.

"Now I hate wasting my time, so I better introduce this transfer student." He turns his head to look at me. "Write your name on the board!"

Keep calm, and just do what he says.

"This sad sack's been thrown from the big city out to the middle of nowhere like yesterday's garbage. And she's just as much of a loser here as she was there, so you guys better not get any ideas hitting on her!"

I barely manage to finish writing my name on the chalkboard before I freeze. He knows my circumstances. He knows what happened. So where the hell does he get off saying that kind of shit? ...I planned to be civil, to be polite and not show much in the way of anger.

...Well, while I won't yell and screech like him, I'll make it clear to everyone what he's doing and just how furious I truly am.

"...I would appreciate it if you don't misconstrue my reasons for coming here. Or do you slander all your students like this?" I ask, clearly so the entire class could hear. While my voice sounds calm and respectful, my words, as well as my body language, makes it clear what I'm feeling.

Nobody in the class missed this as they let out a gasp in shock. Mr Morooka doesn't look pleased, so it's clear he picked up on my anger as well.

"That's it, you're on my shit list, effective immediately!" he yells.

Even so, I keep my cool and bow my head slightly.

"Language," I reply. "It isn't becoming for a teacher to swear at his students."

This only served to agitate him further.

"Now listen up! This town is miles away from your big city of perverts and assholes, in more ways than one. You better not even think of getting involved with any guys here, let alone leading them on!"

...If you're going to call me a whore, I'd rather you say it straight out instead of dancing around it. Heavens know I've been called that enough throughout my life.

And sorry to every male out there, but you'd be barking up the wrong tree if you're looking for... _that_.

"But what do I know? It's not like the old days. Even here, kids grow up so damn fast. Every time I turn my back, you're fooling around on your damn phones, checking your 'LifeJournals' and your 'MyPlaces'..."

How behind the times are you? Even I know about Tweeter.

He continues to go on and on and on and someone please end our suffering. Luckily, before I started to wish I fall through the floor, someone raises their hand. A female student, who stands out amongst the other students due to her green jacket with many different buttons. Her brown bowl-shaped hair and brown eyes also stand out to me.

"Excuse me! Is it okay if the transfer student sits here?" she asks, pointing out the empty seat next to her. Morooka looks at her, confused but mostly annoyed.

"Huh? Yeah, sure. Ya hear that? Your seat's over there. So hurry up and siddown already!"

Gladly. Anything to get away from you.

I walk over and take my seat next to the girl: my saviour. As soon as I get comfortable, she leans over slightly so she can whisper to me.

"He's the worst, huh? Rotten luck for you to get stuck in Morooka's class... Well, we just have to endure for the year."

She straightens up and keeps her eyes towards the front of the room. I can hear the other students speaking all around me. They think their whispering can't be heard, but my hearing is better than most.

"Sucks to be the transfer student, ending up in King Moron's class on the first morning here..."

"Yeah, he won't think twice about suspending you if you get on his bad side. Then again, we're all in the same boat..."

King Moron. I like that nickname. Think I'll call him Mr Moron from now on. He certainly deserves that kind of moniker.

"Shut your traps! I'm taking roll, and I damn well expect you to respond in an orderly manner!"

This isn't going to be pleasant...

※※※※※

"That's all for today. Normal lectures will start tomorrow."

And here I thought it would never end. Some students begin to get out of their seats as Mr Moron walks to the door. The beginnings of the students' chatter is interrupted by the sound of an announcement.

"Attention, all teachers," the female voice booms throughout the room. "Please report immediately to the Faculty Office for a brief meeting. All students must return to their classrooms and are not to leave until further notice."

Mr Moron turns to look at us.

"Hrnh. You heard the announcement. Don't go anywhere unless you hear otherwise."

He leaves the room with those parting words. The sound of police sirens manage to find their way to the school and some of my classmates made their way to the windows.

"Did something happen? Don't those sirens sound really close?"

"Ugh, I can't see a damn thing. Fricken' fog..."

"Yeah, like every time it rains lately, it gets all foggy."

Add one more reason why I'm not going to like rainy days here... Oh well, as long as it isn't too frequent, I won't have a problem suffering through the occasional rainy spell.

"Hey, so why do you think the transfer student lost her cool at Morooka?"

My ears perk up at the mention of what happened this morning.

"Don't know for certain, but... I did hear that something horrible happened at the last school she was at. Something involving her. I guess she didn't take kindly to him picking at her wounds."

"As if he wasn't enough of a scumbag. Actually, I heard something else about her. You know about what happened two years back, in Iwatodai?"

The male student leans in to whisper in the other guy's ear... Shit. I was hoping this wouldn't happen, but it's to be expected, really. Such a high profile incident will, of course, linger in people's memory. Especially when it's so recent and it concerns one of the survivors, whose identities are public knowledge.

I can only hope they don't ask too many questions. In my shock at that being brought up, I miss what was said between the two. The other student seems surprised, though.

"Are you serious?!" The student walks around the tables until he reaches the one diagonally across from my desk. "H-Hey, Yukiko-san. Mind if I ask you something? Is it true that the transfer student once stayed at your inn?"

Huh? ...Oh, yeah. Mother and I did stay at an inn here after that whole debacle. We placed as much distance between us and Iwatodai as we could, and the only place we could stay while we weathered through the storm was in Inaba. I can't remember much. I was still frazzled over the last battle I witnessed.

But if this girl is connected to that inn, then she might...

"I can't discuss such things," the black-haired girl responds with an even tone.

...Well, I guess that confirms it.

"Y-Yeah, I guess not..." The student runs off after getting brushed off. The girl who saved me from Mr Moron walks up to the black-haired girl—Yukiko—and sighs.

"Sheesh, how much longer is this going to take?" she asks. Yukiko shrugs her shoulders.

"There's no telling," she replies. My saviour looks down at the floor, dejected.

"I shouda left before that announcement came on..." She perks back up pretty quickly, though. "By the way, didja try what I told you the other day?"

"Hmm?" Yukiko looks confused. I know I am, as well. What is she talking about?

"You know... The thing about rainy nights..."

What's this? A local urban legend? Already hate it. Me, rain, and nights do not go well together. It's like peanut butter and hot sauce.

"Oh... No, not yet. Sorry."

"Ahh, it's okay. It's just, I heard a guy in the class next door yelling about seeing something that he just couldn't believe. I wonder if there's any truth to this..?"

The sound of the school's PA chimes again, the class falling silent as we listen to what the announcer lady has to say.

"Attention, all students. There has been an incident inside the school district. Police officers have been dispatched around the School Zone. Please stay calm and contact your parents or guardians as soon as possible, and quickly leave the school grounds. Do not disturb the police officers. Head directly home."

The announcement sends the classroom ablaze with discussion.

"Incident?!"

"What, something actually happened?"

"C'mon, let's go take a look!"

Time to head home now, I guess. I had already packed my stuff away by this point and was just waiting for the all-clear to go home. Not that I have that, I stand up.

"Hey, are you going home by yourself? Why don't you come with us?" my saviour in the green jacket asks, smiling before she smacks herself on the head a little. "Oh, nearly forgot! I'm Chie Satonaka. You know I sit next to you, right?"

I nod my head and smile back at her.

"Thank you for saving me from Mr Moron," I tell her, which makes her laugh a little.

"Well, it's nice to meet you." She looks to Yukiko, who's wearing the standard Yasogami High uniform along with a red sweater. She has long eyelashes, black eyes and has long straight black hair which she keeps neat with a red headband. Methinks she likes the colour red. "This is Yukiko Amagi."

We stare at each other for a moment... I remember her, now. We spoke to each other briefly. Not for long, but... To think that we would end up in the same class together two years later.

"...It's nice to meet you again, Sayuri-san," Yukiko says politely.

"Likewise. How have you been?"

"I'm fine. The inn's still around, so you can come visit at any time."

"When I find the time, I will. Still settling in, you know?"

"Whoa, whoa, time out!" Chie yells out. "You two know each other already?"

We both nod our heads.

"Yes," I reply. "We met each other two years ago, when I was staying at her family's inn. Our families are acquaintances, after a fashion, so when we needed a place to stay for a spell, they gladly offered to take us in."

"Well, _now_ I gotta hear this story! I thought I knew everything that happened at the inn, but I guess not."

I giggle a little. Chie's enthusiasm is rather contagious. Then again, after the snooze-fest that was Mr Moron's lesson, anything would seem exciting.

"I don't mind walking with you both, as long as it's on the way."

"Cool!" Chie says cheerfully. We begin to make our way out, only for someone to stand in our path.

Hang on... wasn't he the guy who busted his nuts on the telephone pole this morning? Was he here the entire time? How didn't I notice him?

"Uh, umm, Miss Satonaka...?" he asks. I'm pretty certain I hear fear in his voice. He reaches into his bag and pulls what looks like a DVD case. "This was really awesome. Like the way they moved was just amazing to see..." He suddenly bows and holds out the case to Chie, like he was presenting a gift to an empress.

"And... I'm really sorry! It was an accident! Please just have mercy until my next paycheck!"

Chie snatches the case from the guy's hands quickly.

"See ya! Thanks!" The guy quickly tries to make his escape, to escape the soon-be-unleashed hurricane. However, he isn't quick enough.

"Stop right there! What did you do to my DVD?!"

Chie quickly catches up to him and⸻

"Argh!"

⸻gives him a swift, hard kick right to his man parts.

A quick glance between Yukiko and I before we walk over to Chie, right as she opens the case to inspect the possible damage.

"What the⸻?! I can't believe this! It's completely cracked..." Her prized DVD has a crack right down the middle, making it pretty much worthless. She looks on the verge of tears at the sorry sight. "Waaaahhhh! My 'Trial of the Dragon'!"

"I think mine's cracked too..." the guy says, clutching his groin with a pained expression... again. "C-Critical hit to the nads..."

"A-Are you alright?" Yukiko asks the poor guy, who looks up at her while trying to smile, despite the pain he's probably in.

"Oh, Yukiko-san... Are you worried about me?"

"He's fine, Yukiko!" Chie says, sounding really annoyed. "Let's just ditch him and go home."

Chie and Yukiko leave the classroom. I can't help but give the guy one last look of pity.

...There's nothing I can do for him. I should leave him be...

※※※※※

Our walk takes us through the mostly empty streets of the school district, making light conversation along the way.

"Ah... So you came here because your mother went to Greece? Haha, I thought it was something more serious," Chie says as I finish explaining why, partly, I had made my way to Inaba to begin with. She looks out at the farm and the hills near us.

"There really is nothing here, huh?" she muses. "That's what makes it nice but there isn't much we can show to people from outside. Though, there is something from Mount Yasogami..." Chie places her hand on her chin as she thinks on it. "I think our dyed clothes or pottery or something is kinda famous."

"I can see what you mean about there not being much to show." I nod my head in agreement. "I prefer the quiet of Inaba over a city, though. So I'm happy to be here."

"I'm glad to hear that, despite the poor morning you had." Chie laughs a little before continuing. "Well, we do have the Amagi Inn, but you already know about it. The pride of Inaba, some call it."

"Huh? It's... just an old inn," Yukiko says in response. Chie seems determined to argue the point, however.

"No way, it's been in all sortsa magazines as a hidden treasure. It's a great inn! It's been going for generations, and Yukiko is going to take over someday. Their inn actually attracts a lot of visitors to Inaba. It pretty much keeps this town going."

"...I don't think that's true at all," Yukiko says softly.

"So, tell me. You think Yukiko's cute, huh?" Chie suddenly asks... Wait, what?

"Where did that come from?" I ask back as I look over at Yukiko... Well, it's hard for me to deny that she's pretty. I'd be mad if I thought otherwise.

"Yeah, I think so," I tell Chie, who flashes a victorious smile.

"I knew it," she cheers. Yukiko doesn't exactly look happy with the direction the conversation is heading.

"Come on... Don't start this again..."

"She's really popular at school, but she's never had a boyfriend. Kinda weird, huh?" Yukiko's face goes bright red in response to Chie's words.

"C-Come on, stop it!" she yells before turning to me. "Y-You shouldn't believe that, okay? It's not true that I'm popular or that I've never had a boyfriend!"

Quick to deny that, aren't you? Too quick, one could say.

"Wait, n-no! What I meant to say was that I-I don't need a boyfriend!" She turns to look away from me. "Geez... Chie!"

Chie seems to be having a good time teasing poor Yukiko, going by her laughter.

"Hahahaha! Sorry, I'm sorry. But this is our chance to talk to someone from the big city, and you barely said a word!" Chie's eyes widen a little as she looks further down the street. "Hey, what's that?"

She points out the small crowd gathered near the intersection. Did something happen? Walking over to investigate, we see that the crowd has gathered near a police barricade.

"So that high schooler left school early, and as she came down this street..."

Nearby, two women are having a conversation that I can't help but listen in on, curious myself about what has happened.

"Wow. I didn't think that would just be dumped there right out in the open."

"I wanted to see it too."

"You got here too late. The police moved it just a moment ago."

"Well, I think it's terrifying. I can't believe a dead body showed up around here..."

A... dead body? Here?

"Wait... What did she just say? A dead body?!" Chie asks aloud, shocked at the news. I remain calm but Chie and Yukiko seem to be in total disbelief. I guess being in a quiet town such as this doesn't lend itself to stuff like this. I certainly wasn't expecting it, myself.

From the corner of my eye, I see Uncle Dojima walking around. Of course, to be expected, really. It's natural to see a detective at the scene of a crime. He catches sight of us and walks over.

"Hey, what're you doing here?" he asks, looking calm.

"On our way home," I answer quickly, not wanting to take up too much of his time. "We were just passing through."

"Huh... I should have figured that'd happen," he says to himself. "That damn principal. We told him not to let them through here..."

"You know this guy, Sayuri...?" Chie asks me. I nod my head in response.

"Yeah, this is my uncle," I tell them.

"I'm Detective Dojima, her guardian. Uhh... Well, how should I say this...? I hope you get along with her," he tells Chie and Yukiko, looking rather awkward. He must still be in 'work mode'.

"...Uncle, do you think...?" I trail off, not wanting to finish that question in front of Chie and Yukiko. Thankfully, Uncle understands what I'm trying to get at and responds carefully.

"No, I don't think so. There's no evidence showing that's the case."

I try not to let my relief show on my face. So it might not be connected after all? That's good. One less thing to worry about right now.

"You three should hurry up and head straight home. It's not safe out here right⸻"

Dojima doesn't get a chance to finish his sentence, as a young male comes running past us, clasping his hand over his mouth. I don't get a good look at him but he squats down near a bush and begins to throw up the contents of his stomach on the ground. Okay, ewww...

"Adachi! How long are you going to act like a rookie? You want to get sent back to the central office?!" Dojima yells at the suited man. I guess this Adachi works for him.

"I-I'm sorry... Nngh..." He pukes again after sputtering out an apology. Dojima sighs.

"Go wash your face. We're going to go round and gather information."

Dojima walks back to one of the other officers, Adachi following close behind.

"Was this what that announcement was about...?" Chie asks worriedly.

"Most likely," I reply, wrapping a bit of my hair around my finger.

Yukiko remains silent on the matter. Whatever she's thinking, it's clear that both her and Chie are rather unnerved by the whole thing.

"Hey, Yukiko...? Why don't we go to Junes some other time?"

"Good idea."

"Alright then, we're taking off," Chie turns and says to me. "Starting tomorrow, neighbour, let's do our best."

"Alright, see you tomorrow then," I respond as they walk off. I don't really have anything important to take care of, so I should just listen to Uncle and head back home.

...This whole thing is giving me a bad feeling. I hope nothing comes of it.

※※※※※

It's evening now, and Dojima still hasn't returned. Nanako and I had taken our seats in the living room, watching TV. Nanako had switched to the news channel a few minutes ago, and I was keeping a close eye for any news about the murder.

So far, there's nothing. Some news about a local scandal involving the city council secretary, but nothing major beyond that. Were the police keeping a tighter leash about what goes out to the public? Wouldn't surprise me, given the last report on the matter.

I look at Nanako, who watches the news silently. The same blank expression I saw the previous night. It must be lonely for her most days, given how long Uncle stays out. Her expression lightens up when a familiar jingle makes itself known.

"Oh! It's Junes!"

And once again.

"At Junes, every day is Customer Appreciation Day. Come see for yourself, and get in touch with our products! _Every day's great at your Junes!~_"

"Every day's great at your Junes!~" Nanako sings along with the commercial, looking at me with a cheerful smile on her face. Does she expect me to sing along as well? ...Eh, why not?

"Every day's great at your Junes!~" I parrot, smiling and imitating Nanako's little hand movement, much to her joy.

"You memorised it already? I'm the best in my class!" she tells me, continuing to sing the jingle under her breath. It's hard not to smile at the sight of a happy Nanako.

Oh, the commercial changed again. And one I'm rather familiar with, too. It's a commercial for an energy drink and I'm happy to see it whenever it comes on... Not so much because of the drink, never tried it, but because of the person advertising said drink.

She's someone who most people would recognise: Rise Kujikawa. A beautiful girl who, wearing the latest in fashion and with her music, has captured the hearts and minds of many people. She's wearing a bikini and is standing under a torrent of water, kinda like a waterfall. The scene changes to Rise drinking out of a can.

"I'm tired of diets, and enough of going to the gym! Good thing there's something even I can handle!"

She tilts her head in a fashion that makes her look rather cute as a picture of a can fades in with a nifty water-like effect.

"Slim down this Summer with the refreshing taste of Calorie Magic," a male voice says to cap off the commercial. Seeing the idol always brightens up my day, so this was sorely needed after the rough first day of school I had.

"Are you a fan of Risette?"

Eh?

I turn to Nanako, who looks at me with a curious expression. Oh, was I staring at her? I was, wasn't I? I hope it wasn't too obvious.

"Uh, um... Y-Yeah, I am," I reply, scratching my face lightly with my finger and giving an awkward smile. "Have been for years now. Ever since she first started out."

"Really?! Me too!" Nanako exclaims happily. Might have to show her my collection of Risette albums and singles sometime. Good thing I brought those with me. It feels nice to have something in common with Nanako, and she seems to be more comfortable with my presence now. She stands up and looks at me with a smile. "Is ramen okay for dinner tonight?"

"Sure."

The night continues, and even though Dojima doesn't make his return, Nanako and I have fun regardless...

※※※※※

The night passes by. After having more of Nanako's cooking, I had begun to make my way to school for my second day at Yasogami High.

The weather was far more agreeable this day, at least it's not raining. There was no Nanako to guide me again this morning, but I remember the way. There aren't many students around, so it looks like it's going to be rather qui⸻

What the⸻?!

I jump out of the way after hearing something heading towards me at top speed. Someone speeds past me on their bike, going by so quickly I didn't even see the person's face. I do see the impact of their crash, however. Right into a bin, face first.

I walk towards him, after wincing a little at the sound. That poor person is just rolling around helplessly, unable to break free of their very stinky prison.

"S-Someone... Help..."

Hey, I know that voice. If my memory holds true, that voice belongs to the male student who I had decided to dub the 'Trial of the Dragon Destroyer'.

...This is just sad. I have to help him out.

Being very careful not to dirty myself, I help the guy out of his trash can prison. He picked up his bike.

"Whew, you saved me. Thanks!" the 'Trial of the Dragon Destroyer' says gratefully. I point out the yoghurt cup that rests in his hair. He quickly grabs it and throws it back to the trash where it belongs. "Umm... Oh, yeah, that's right. You're that transfer student. Sayuri Narukami. I'm Yosuke Hanamura. Nice to meet ya."

"Likewise," I respond with a light smile. He seems okay. That's good.

"Say, did you hear about that incident from yesterday? I didn't think a body would be found around here, of all places. Do you think it's connected to those recent murders in the city nearby?"

"Not sure. Could just be a random killing. Thinking about death too much can ruin your health."

"You sound like you speak from experience."

"Like I said, don't think about it too much. Someone who fixates on death can become pretty messed up."

"It's pretty messed up to kill someone in the first place." He glances down at his watch. "Oh crap! We're late!" He spins his bike around so it's facing in the direction of the school and looks back at me. "You wanna ride? It's a little squeaky, but it should be fine."

Uh...

※※※※※

The school day passes by in a flash. Mr Moron is still annoying, so I'm glad that things went by so quickly. I pack up my books as well as my assignments for the week.

"So, you getting used to this place?" I hear Yosuke ask. I turn and respond surely.

"More or less."

"Wow, that was fast." I don't think that's something to sound so impressed about, Hanamura-san. "There isn't much to do compared to the big city, but there is that certain... something you can't get anywhere else. The air's clean. The food's great... Oh, you know about the local delicacy?" he asks with an amused smirk. I shrug my shoulders.

"Should I?"

"It's grilled steak! Like that's anything special, huh? I know a place where you can get it cheap. Wanna come? You helped me out this morning, so it's on me."

Well, I do have some time, so why not? As I open my mouth to answer, I see Chie walk up to us, almost as if she was drawn in by the mention of food.

"What about me, huh? No apologies? My 'Trial of the Dragon'." She draws out the last word, making her irritation known to all who hear her. Yosuke looks equally as irritated.

"Urgh... You always come around when I talk about food."

"How about it, Yukiko? Don't you think he should treat us too?" she asks Yukiko, who's in the middle of standing up from her seat. She grabs her bag, letting it dangle from her hands.

"I'll pass," she replies. "I don't want to gain any more weight. I need to help out at the inn today anyway."

"Wow, Yukiko-san! You started training to take over the business?" Yosuke asks curiously.

"It's not like that! I'm just helping out when it gets busy. Especially nowadays, when..." She trails off, but her eyes give away how tough the work could get. It's strange, though. What was she about to say there? Neither Chie nor Yosuke noticed it, and so didn't think to comment on it, but... Best not. The moment their business begins to involve me, I'll worry about it. For now, I should avoid getting involved.

I turn just in time to see Chie looking at Yukiko's back as she's leaving with a worried look. Perhaps she has some idea, after all. It's none of my business, though.

"Oh, well. We should get going as well," Chie tells Yosuke, who is taken aback.

"Huh? Do I seriously have to treat two people?" he asks. The answer is, of course, yes.

※※※※※

Yosuke led Chie and I deep into the inner parts of town and we ended up at this huge supermarket. It's the same one in the commercial that Nanako is quite fond of singing the jingle to: Junes. Yosuke carries a tray with our orders to the table we're sitting at.

"_This_ is the cheap place you were talking about? They don't have grilled steak here," Chie complains as Yosuke sits down.

"Yeah, well, once you hopped on the freeloader train, I had to change my plans," Yosuke replies, rather sarcastic in his tone.

"Still, that's no reason to take us to your place."

Wait a minute, _his_ place?

"Dude, this isn't my place or anything," Yosuke denies vehemently. He turns his head to look at me, as though he just remembered something. "Oh, right. I haven't told you yet, huh? I moved here from another city six months back. This location just opened up, and my dad was assigned to manage it. So our entire family came out here."

He leans forward and grabs his drink from the tray.

"Here, this is to welcome you to town."

I grab my drink from the tray, also.

"Satonaka, yours is on me, too," he tells Chie, who was in the process of grabbing her own drink.

"Yeah, I know," she tells him as she raises the cup to the sky. "Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

With a yell in unison, we all take a drink out of our respective cups and set them down in front of us. The conversation became lively with small talk. Mostly Chie and Yosuke arguing or them asking me how my day was.

"It's only been half a year since this place opened up, but I haven't been to the local shopping district much since. A lot of stores there started closing and... Oh, uh..."

It seems that Chie realised who's sitting right next to her. Yosuke looks at her with a slightly disappointed look on his face.

"You can't blame it all on Junes, can you?"

Something tells me there's more to this... Well, I can't just ask them outright. That'd be too awkward.

"Hey... It's Saki-senpai!" Hmm? Who now? Yosuke stands up with a smile. "Sorry, be right back."

I watch him as he ran off to another table on the other side of the food court. He stops when he reaches a tired-looking girl wearing an employee apron over a long-sleeved white t-shirt, along with navy jeans and some comfortable looking navy shoes. Her long wavy light-brown hair looks somewhat messy and her brown eyes show her tired state.

I turn to Chie.

"Is that his girlfriend?" I ask curiously. Chie laughs a little at that.

"Haha, he wishes," she tells me. "That's Saki Konishi. Her family runs a liquor store in the shopping district. I think she's working here part time though..."

Hmm... I wonder what the story there is? Just might need the extra money. Not that I have any right to judge someone for that. Though I did it because I wanted to, not everyone can have that luxury.

Despite the distance between myself and the two of them, I'm able to hear their conversation just fine. The benefits of having abnormal hearing range.

"Hey, how's it going? You look beat."

You think, Yosuke? Even a glance can tell you that.

"Heeey! I'm finally on break..." Saki says with a high-pitched voice. "What's up, Hana-chan? Boosting the family business by bringing your friends here?"

"Madam, you wound me!" Yosuke feigns pain with an amused, light-hearted smile, which quickly changes to a worried frown. "Kidding aside... You look down. Did something happen?"

"...It's nothing. I'm just a little tired."

"Hey, if you need to talk, I'm always willing to listen. I..."

Saki chuckles with a hand raised to her mouth.

"I'm fine. Thanks, though." She closes her eyes and sighs. "Why did I leave school early yesterday...?"

What was that now? She left school early? ...Come to think of it, didn't one of the ladies at... I see now. So that's why she looks frazzled.

Saki stands up and walks over to me once she notices my presence. She seems cheerful enough, though her tired state is obvious.

"Are you the transfer student?" she asks.

"Yeah," I reply.

"Oh, did you hear about me already?" I nod. "It must be nice to have someone else from the big city to talk to, huh?"

"I'm not really a 'city person'," I explain, messing with the drink in my hand. "Spent most of my life in the countryside... learned more about city life in the past few years than I would have liked."

"Is that so?" she asks with an ambiguous look before smiling. "Well, I hope you enjoy your stay here. You know, I don't see Hana-chan hanging out with the other students much."

This little bit of information floating in the open now causes Yosuke to panic a little.

"Uh, not necessarily..." he says before trailing off. Saki promptly ignores this and continues.

"He doesn't have too many friends, so I hope you two get along good. Hana-chan's a good guy, but he can get nosy sometimes. You gotta tell him right to his face when he starts to annoy you."

"Well, he hasn't annoyed me yet," I tell her, shrugging my shoulders and smiling. "If he does, I can always cast a curse on him."

Ha! The look on Yosuke's face. Oh, that's pretty funny. I try to keep myself from laughing at the poor boy, though Chie and Saki have no qualms with laughing at my jest... That's a lie, that wasn't a jest at all.

"Haha, I'm just joking," Saki replies, which makes Yosuke laugh along with her.

"Hahaha... You had me going there, Senpai," he says with a slight chuckle at the end.

"Well, my break's just about over. Back to work I go..." She walks off towards the store and waves at us. "Laters!"

"Oh, uh, Senpai..." Yosuke calls out to her but trails off as she disappears from our sight. He sits back down on his chair, folding his arms. "Haha, Saki-senpai says _I'm_ annoying, but she's even nosier than me. She has a younger brother and pretty much treats me the same way..."

Something tells me he's not too pleased about that. And it seems that I'm not the only one who caught that.

"Ohhh, so you don't want her to treat you like a brother, huh? Haha, I get it... So that's how it is..." Chie says teasingly before raising her hands in an opera-like pose. "The daughter of a local family-run liquor store and the scion of the invading chain... Hoho, the flame of forbidden love!"

"This is the stuff romantic plays are inspired by," I quip with a teasing smile in Yosuke's direction. "Like 'Romeo and Juliet'."

"Didn't they die at the end?!" Yosuke asks before directing his attention to Chie. "And it's not like that at all!"

"Oh reaaaaally..." Chie is clearly enjoying teasing Yosuke. They're pretty close friends, aren't they? "Well, I know just the thing to cheer up that lovesick heart. You ever hear of the Midnight Channel?"

"The 'Midnight Channel'?" I ask curiously. "That a local legend or something?"

"You're supposed to look into a TV that's switched off, alone, exactly at midnight on a rainy night," she explains. "While you're staring at your own image, you'll see something strange. It's not quite clear what it is, but everyone who saw it said something along the lines of it being 'an echo of the past.' "

Ugh, two of my most hated things: night, and rain. I can already imagine this whole thing being unpleasant. It's unsurprising to hear Yosuke scoff at Chie's words.

"What? For a second, I thought you were going to say something useful. How can you get excited over a childish urban legend like that?" he asks. Chie's expression flares up in annoyance, a common occurrence around Yosuke it seems.

"Childish, huh? You don't believe it, do you?!"

"Of course I don't!"

"Well, it's raining tonight! Let's all try it out—then you'll see!"

"Try it out...? Wait, you haven't tried it out yourself?! Wow, I'm trying to remember the last time I heard something this stupid..."

Yosuke's look of disbelief turns neutral as he turns his head to look at me.

"All that aside, you know the incident yesterday? A dead body turning up that close to the school... You guys think it was murder?" he asks.

"I wouldn't doubt it," I tell him, "but it's nothing to be concerned about. The police are working on it."

If it's just a normal murder case then there truly is nothing to worry about. Uncle Dojima will make sure of that.

"Ooh, what if the culprit behind it is still lurking around? Heehee..." he speaks with a creepy tone, which manages to unnerve Chie a little.

"Sheesh, you shouldn't joke about that. Now who's the childish one?"

"I have to agree. It _is_ in poor taste," I add, trying to keep my tone neutral and not let anything show. I'd rather not get into a conversation about my past. Not when the atmosphere is so light, barring that detour into talking about the incident.

Chie shakes her head.

"All I'm saying is, you guys better try it out tonight," she all but orders us. No doubt she'll ask about it on the morrow, so I doubt I'll get away with just making up what I saw. Geez, how do I keep getting involved in stuff like this?

...Oh, well. It won't hurt to try, at least.

※※※※※

Another lonely night at the Dojima residence. When the time came to have dinner, Nanako prepared a few pre-made dinners that she bought earlier this week.

"...Did your father call?" I dare to ask, not expecting a positive answer. Her dejected look dashes even the slim hope I had.

"No... He always says he will..."

As soon as those words leave her mouth, we hear the front door slide open and close. Nanako's face lights up with joy as she jumps to her feet.

"Oh! He's home!"

I turn my head to see Dojima walk in, exhaustion and fatigue evident on his features.

"What a day..." he mumbles as he sits on the couch. "Did anything happen while I was out?"

"Nothing of any consequence," I reply, as I mess with my food with my chopstick.

"You're late again..." Nanako adds, sounding disappointed.

"I'm sorry..." Uncle replies. "Been busy with work. Can you put on the news for me?"

Nanako stares at him for a moment before doing so, changing the channel from the quiz show that is playing in the background to the local news.

"Next, more details in the developing story on the incident in foggy Inaba. Police have confirmed the details of a dead body that was found near the school district. Police have stated that although identification of the body remains difficult due to the extent of his injuries, they remain committed to investigating any potential links between this murder and the recent string of murders that have been occurring within the city limits."

Although they don't describe it, I can imagine it very clearly. I turn to Uncle Dojima.

"Was it really that bad?" I ask, sounding a little nervous. He nods his head.

"Yeah. Consider yourself lucky you didn't actually see it."

My attention is drawn back to the TV screen as the newscaster continued.

"In addition, we now bring you an exclusive interview with the local student who first discovered the body."

They actually found the person who saw it?

I hear Dojima sigh from the couch.

"An interview with the kid...? Where the hell did they find her?"

The video changes to show a female student standing near the school intersection. Her face is obscured though, for the sake of her privacy.

"What went through your mind when you saw it? Could you tell he was dead? Did you see his face?" the reporter asks these questions in quick succession, and rather enthusiastically as well.

"U-Umm..." She's clearly frazzled from having a camera shoved in front of her. They've also modified her voice as well, further obscuring her identity. Still... I can't shake the feeling that I've seen her before.

"Don't you think it's scary that someone was killed on a foggy day?" the reporter asks, which makes the student stand upright.

"Huh... He was killed?"

"Oh... err... Did you see anyone suspicious around here?"

"No, not really..."

"We heard you found it when you left school early. Did you have some personal business to take care of?"

"Huh? That's..."

If I'm right about who first discovered the body then that should be Saki Konishi, Yosuke's Senpai. Of course, that's assuming that I'm correct about that in the first place.

"⸻a tragedy that occurred near the local shopping district," the newscaster interrupts the interview. I guess he realised that it wasn't going anywhere. "Most storeowners are raising concerns about losing customers as a result⸻"

"Hmph. If they lose more customers, it'll be because you're making such a stink about it..."

You're not wrong there, Uncle. The term 'Self-Fulfilling Prophecy' comes to mind.

The scene changes to a commentator and the newscaster discussing candidly the case at hand.

"Given the recent string of murders in the city limits, and now this incident, it might be possible that the serial murderer has made their way into Inaba proper," the commentator says.

"Yes," the newscaster nods his head in agreement. "Though, to this point, no one has come forward to take credit for the crime spree."

"Loads of prank calls though..." Dojima adds, scratching the back of his head.

"There has been _zero_ progress on that front for months now," the commentator says, adding a supreme amount of smugness to his tone. "Taxpayer's funds are going to a police force who can't even catch a single killer whose modus operandi is the same for all their killings?"

I'd like to see him try to figure it out, instead of the trained and qualified police force. It's a bizarre case to be sure, but as long as the culprit is human, they'll be caught eventually.

"We'll be right back after these messages," the newscaster announces. They go to commercials and the first one we see is⸻

Oh, not this one again!

"At Junes, every day is Customer Appreciation Day. Come see for yourself, and get in touch with our products! _Every day's great at your Junes!~_"

"Every day's great at your Junes!~" Nanako sings once again. "Hey Dad, can we go to Junes together sometime?"

Dojima doesn't respond.

"...No?"

When we turn to look, we see that he's fallen asleep. I guess work must have been more exhausting than I initially thought. Nanako sighs at the sight of something that's probably familiar to her.

"Geez..." She gets up and starts clearing the table. "I'll make sure he gets to bed. You just go and get some rest."

"...Alright."

I don't feel good about leaving Nanako to clean up, but if she wants me to go, I'll go. No point sticking around when I'm not wanted, after all.

This 'Midnight Channel' business, though... I wonder if there's actually any kernel of truth to it. Guess I'll find out tonight.

※※※※※

It's almost midnight now. I still can't help but find myself feeling nervous about it creeping closer and closer. The fact that the Dark Hour happened at midnight as well certainly doesn't help in that regard. If something actually happens...

I don't know for certain yet, but I won't have to wait much longer. Better prepare myself.

What did Chie tell me to do again? Look at a turned off TV at midnight?

After checking that the TV is off, and confirming one more time that it's raining, I stand and wait.

Eventually, the clock strikes midnight. I look towards the blackened TV, seeing only my reflection on it. I wait... and wait... Nothing.

Well, guess that's that. Just a rumour, after all.

I turn and make my way to⸻

Huh?

The sound of the TV turning itself on makes me turn to look back at it. There isn't much there, just a bunch of static and the sound of static. The image _does_ clear up a few times, though I can't see much... It looks like a castle. An old Japanese style castle from the Edo period. It seems to be a castle from when the Tokugawa's ruled as shoguns... No, actually. It's older than that. It seems it's actually from the Heian era.

Curious. Why would the Midnight Channel show people something like this? Moreover, what is that faint energy I can sense coming from the TV?

Walking over, I use my pointer finger and touch the TV screen. Like dipping into a pool of water, ripples form on the screen and disappear when I hastily pull my hand back. My eyes widen as I stare at the screen.

What in the world...?

I really shouldn't, but... I reach out and touch the screen again—this time making my hand go fully inside the TV. I close my eyes and focus. If there's anything in there, I'll be able to tell. A few seconds pass and I sense nothing dangerous at the very least.

What I _can_ sense is that there's an entire world in there. Much bigger than what that short clip shown on the Midnight Channel suggests. I pull my hand back and the ripples disappear once more.

I stare at the TV for a few seconds, fully expecting something to come crawling through it like Sadako. Instead, I see something far worse.

I see them for an instant. Just an instant, but my eyes are able to track them clear as day. Through the static, I see faces without eyes, bodies strewn about in pieces or bent in all manner of shapes they shouldn't be. There's red painting the screen, as if cameras had been able to catch footage of that fateful day. The bodies, they're spread so far and wide and the camera gets _so close_ I can see them.

It's all underneath a green sky lit by a yellowed moon, and in the middle of it all I see _him_.

A mop of blue hair, with silver eyes gleaming through the screen. Covered in black and red gore. In his arms is a body, and they're arranged in a position I've seen in sculptures; his arms are open, a bloodied girl draping his lap and I see him, I see him, _I see him_ for all he is.

And he sees me.

The screen flickers and the static shudders in an obscenely loud scratching noise, and then I see nothing more. It's all true. The rumours, this Midnight Channel. All true. There's more to it than anyone here could've possibly imagined.

And if my hunch is correct...

No. Shadows aren't the _only_ possible reason for any of this. Magic and the Soul Arts are infinitely, painfully complex and intricate. Perhaps there's just something or someone that's causing all of this for some crazy, stupid, nonsence reason. Whatever the case, I can't just make a jump to the Shadows. I can't.

I won't.

It all reminds me of something mother once told me. When she found out that I was fighting with _him_, against the Dark Hour. It was confusing at the time, I still don't think I've truly grasped what she was trying to tell me back then.

"...Why won't you just tell me the truth, mother?"

I'm this close to ripping my air out or bawling myself to sleep or going full-circle and just having a big laugh over it all. With a heavy heart racked with questions, I make my way to the futon, let myself fall onto it, and went to sleep.

What exactly am I going to tell Chie and Yosuke? ...I just don't know.

* * *

【Author's Note】

And yet more of this story's mystery begins to reveal itself, slowly but surely. This doesn't bear repeating, but don't trust your knowledge of Persona 4 to predict what's going to happen. The next major change coming up is one that might surprise a few people, and some might see it coming.

It has some ties to my friend's story, specifically the consequences of a particular character's actions, but I'll say no more than that. Whether it be in this story or his, that'll get explained at some point.

And sorry for being away for so long. Life refused to give me enough of a break, but I managed to find the time to finish this behemoth of a chapter. 29 pages, not counting this note. Pretty certain that's the longest chapter in terms of page count I've written in a while. I'll be surprised if the following few chapters even come close to that.

Thanks to everyone who's been patient and I'll see you for the next chapter.

◆ _Next Time - Chapter 3: Unseen Battle_ ◆


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